Optical media are small optical discs upon which large amounts of digital information, such as audio-visual data and software, are encoded. Common examples of optical media include, but are not limited to, the common compact disc (CD), the digital video disc (DVD), and the compact disc recordable (CDR). Other types of optical media using different formats than those listed above to store encoded data will likely be developed in the future.
The invention will be explained in reference to storing optical media. However, just as new types of optical media formats are likely to be developed in the future, so are other forms of storage formats that use disc structures just as likely to be developed. Other storage formats developed in the future may encode information on a disc through magnetic means or through scoring on the disc surface, to name a few. As the described packaging system is designed to accommodate any type of storage disc, it is understood that reference to optical media is by means of illustration, and not by limitation. The present invention is not limited to any particular type of format for storing information on a disc.
Due to its convenience and low cost of production, the use of optical media has quickly become the preferred method of storing not only music but software and movies as well. In the regular course of business, it is typical for one to purchase a software license or a music CD without receiving the physical disc at the time of purchase. As Internet commerce flourishes through the widespread use of the World Wide Web, an increasing number of people will buy goods and services through electronic storefronts. Accordingly, the need to ship optical media, perhaps with accompanying documentation, will also increase in time.
A single purchase of a software license, music album, or other optical media purchase may involve more than one physical optical media disc. For example, many music albums are labeled as "2 CD sets," as they contain two compact discs encoded with music. Larger musical collections that are encoded on larger numbers of optical media discs are also common. A single software license may require the installation of data stored upon multiple optical media discs as well. Accordingly, there will be an increasing need to distribute large numbers of related optical media discs through mail services.
As optical media are susceptible to scratching, smudging, and other signal eroding damage, they are preferably protected in a protective enclosure when not in use.
There have been several different approaches in developing packaging systems for optical media. A widely used package is the "jewel case." The conventional jewel case includes a rigid plastic front panel, a rigid plastic back panel, and a semi-flexible plastic disc holder which is secured into the plastic back panel. The front and back panels of the jewel case are normally hinged along one edge to open like a book. At least one preprinted insert is included in and visible through the jewel case. The jewel case is shipped with a plastic shrink-wrap exterior, which is removed upon purchase.
This jewel case, though attractive in appearance, is cumbersome, expensive to construct, and not sufficiently durable to send through the mail without additional packaging. Additionally, the jewel case is not suited to address the problem of disseminating and storing mass quantities of optical media, as it was designed to be a personal storage container for the individual consumer upon purchase of a single optical media disc. Further, the construction and use of a jewel case requires a significant amount of plastic, which is a non-biodegradable material that can pose environmental problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,081 (the '081 patent) is directed to a storage device for optical media for the dual purpose of deterring theft while on display in retail stores and protectively storing the optical media while not in use.
While the described storage device in the '081 patent uses less non-biodegradable material in its construction, it still requires the use of plastic and a shrink-wrapped exterior. Additionally, it was designed to accommodate only a single compact disc. Further, the construction of the storage device would not be suitable or sufficiently durable for passage through the mail, as it was designed to be used strictly in retail outlet stores.
As limited environmentally responsible packaging is available to address the needs of distributors of optical media, less than ideal shipping practices are accepted as a matter of course.
For example, the process of shipping a single optical media disc from the distributor to a customer is both unnecessarily expensive and requires far too many non-biodegradable shipping materials. Typically, each compact disc is shipped in an individual jewel case. Each jewel case is then shrink wrapped for protection and security. Each jewel case is shipped in a product box, which is sufficiently larger than the jewel case and has an expensive high gloss finish exterior with lettering and artwork. Each product box may contain additional documentation and inserts, as well as a cardboard insert to hold the contents of the product box in place. The product box construction is expensive, requires excess amounts of raw materials, and is quite heavy. The extra weight of the product box increases the cost of shipping. The product box is enclosed within another heavier and more durable cardboard shipping box for protection during shipment. Additional packaging filler will also be added to the cardboard shipping box to protect the enclosed product box.
Using this packaging system, the single optical media disc is first packaged within a plastic box, further packaged in another cardboard product box, further surrounded by packaging filler material, all of which is enclosed in another cardboard shipping box. This process uses far to much non-biodegradable raw material to produce a package that is costlier to produce and ship than need be.
This problem is compounded when more than one related optical media disc is shipped. Rather than combining the contents of the product boxes, optical media are still packaged as individual units in product boxes, all of which are then enclosed in a cardboard shipping box for distribution.
This process is inefficient and undesirable on multiple fronts. The process requires the use of raw materials that are not sustainable, and thus, harmful to the environment. The process also requires much more packaging material per optical media disc than need be, which results in a higher cost to package an optical media disc for shipment. The process also yields a package that is far heavier than need be, which results in a higher cost to ship the package of compact discs.
Based on the foregoing, it is clearly desirable to provide a method and apparatus for shipping variable amounts of optical media through the mail services in an environmentally conscious and cost-effective manner.